How Singapore’s Pioneering Spirit Fosters One-of-a-Kind Meetings

More than 150 international non-profit organizations and 7,000 multinational companies—4,000 with regional headquarters in Singapore—support a vibrant economy based on thought leadership, innovation and knowledge-driven industries. Top scientific and creative talent professionals are drawn to the city-state’s strong research and development base, where co-investment and seed funding programs nurture ideas and collaborations between the public sector and private enterprises thrive. And with more than 390 hotels and 55,000 rooms, there is a price point for all attendees. This vast network of possibilities, combined with a cultural dynamism that represents and cultivates the best of Asia, make meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) events in Singapore not only productive and effortless, but also fun.

As a fishing port-turned-Cosmopolitan city, reimagining the realm of possibility is an underlying theme of Singapore’s MICE offerings. This constant evolution can be illustrated in countless ways. Forward-thinking sustainability practices keep industry organizers, not to mention city development, in a constant state of transformation. The Marina Bay Sands® integrated resort fronting Marina Bay recently became Singapore’s first ISO 20121 certified venue, an accolade acknowledging event sustainability. Likewise, Singapore EXPO’s MAX Atria, designed to bring nature inside and meetings outside, was the first convention venue to receive the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Platinum Award. The Singapore Green Hotel Award and 3R program (reduce, reuse, and recycle) keep environmental sustainability a key initiative of MICE hotels.

Non-conventional venues and attractions also add a sense of the unexpected to meetings and events as evident in a vast array of theatres, sports venues, cultural sites and exotic venues such as one of the world’s largest aquariums, the S.E.A. Aquarium^TM, Singapore Science Centre, National Museum of Singapore, the nation’s oldest museum, Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site, Asia’s first and only river-themed attraction, River Safari, and the deeply evocative Gardens by the Bay, housing the nearly 13,000-square-foot Flower Field Hall venue and Flower Dome, the largest greenhouse in the world.

Advancements in technology are also integrated into MICE events. A recent $126 million revitalization of the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre introduced real-time technologies such as 3D viewing of event spaces with 360 degree panning. In 2014, Singapore’s innovative edge helped the destination to secure over 100 association conventions, including notable first-in-Asia conventions such as the 9th International Conference on Intelligent Sensors, Sensor Networks and Information Processing, and Edison Electric Asia Utility Financial and Investment Conference.

Singapore’s signature festivals, local events and cultural experiences ensure there is never a dull moment for groups of any size. If there is one thing Singaporeans are truly passionate about, it’s food, especially the delectable range of local delights. The Singapore Food Festival is an annual celebration of Singapore’s best local food and culinary talents with events offering a variety of interesting and immersive experiences. The streets of the city come alive with traditional music, red lanterns and enticing scents wafting from food stalls during the Chinese New Year, and Singapore’s multicultural ambiance is on full display during the Chingay Parade, Asia’s largest street performance and float parade, where over 8,000 performers and vibrant floats drape the city in color and culture.

Local experiences are the heart of MICE events, and there is no shortage of “wow” experiences to be had—from island hopping to Indonesia’s world-class Bintan Resorts or rustic Pulau Ubin, the last village reminiscent of 1960s Singapore, to tea workshops at the Yixing Xuan Teahouse and Tea Art Centre or naming an orchid at the Orchid Society of South East Asia. Groups can try local bites such as chicken rice, satay and fried carrot cake at hawker centres, before perusing over 280 stalls of fresh produce, flowers, spices and more at the Tekka Wet Market. Other hot spots include Chinatown, a buzzing ethnic enclave for sites and shopping, the Jurong Bird Park, which showcases 5,000 birds from across 400 species, a walk along a freestanding suspension bride some 80 feet above the treetops, and shopping on Orchard Road, rated one of the top shopping streets in the world alongside illustrious counterparts like Paris’ Champs-Élysées and New York’s Fifth Avenue.

Taking in the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix adds excitement to humdrum meetings. Adventure-seeking attendees can take a Lamborghini or gran turismo luxury car out for a 15- or 30-minute spin with Dream Drive at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, while surprising event spaces tucked among iconic landmarks, such as Cavanagh Bridge, the only suspended bridge in Singapore, make for an interesting cocktail or networking location.

Regardless of your group’s itinerary, Singapore’s extensive offerings and customizable group programming ensure fun and easy experiences in the Lion City, which is also Asia’s top convention city.

For more information in organizing MICE events in Singapore, please visit YourSingapore.